Improvement in saw-mill carriages and head-blocks



2 Sheets-Sheet I.

k R. M. BIGGER. SAW-MILL CARRIAGE AND HEAD-BLOCK.

Patented Oct. 31,1876.

THE GRAPHIC 00. NM

2 SheetsSheet 2.

R. M. BIGGER.

SAW-MILL CARRIAGE AND HEAD BLOCK. 3 745 Patented Oct.31. 1876.

629/6 I Z: nevi/57% THE GRAPHIC CO.N Y

Lairdsville,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. BIGGER, OF LAIRDSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SAW-MILL CARRIAGES AND HEAD-BLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 183.745. dated October31, 1876; application filed October 28, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT M. BIGGER, of inthe county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Saw-Mill Carriages and Head-Blocks; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof a saw-mill carriage and head-blocks, to the end that the same may bereacting and self-setting, and to the end that greater accuracy may besecured in setting than can be had by hand.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of the carriage, presenting an end view ofhead-block. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section ofcarriage, showing side elevation of head-block. Fig. 4 is section ofFig. 2 to the left of line 7 8, omitting large ratchet-wheel H,arm-lever F, andpawl G, for the purpose of showing register J and pawlP.

But one head-block is shown in drawings, the other being substantiallythe same.

A is the track, upon which stands the carriage B. O O are head-blocks. DD are inclined worms, which'rest upon rock-shafts Z2, and are supportedat the forward extremities by the perpendicular movable bars y 3 whichrest in and upon the -pedestals s s. E E are ro1lers,'whichare attachedangular armlevers'F F by knuckle-join tgum at. In armlevers F F aresecret wheels w, as shown by dotted lines in arm-levers. G G are pawlsattached to the upperends of arm-levers F F. The action of the pawls G Gis insured by the springs p p, or their equivalents. H H areratchet-wheels, fixed on shafts I I. On shafts I I are pinions o '0. J Jare registers, which turn on shafts I I, alongside and projecting overthe ratchet-wheels H H. K is a lever, which is fixed upon shafts L L. MM M M are pulleys fixed upon the shafts L L. N N

position of the head-blocks.

N N are pulleys, which turn on shafts I I on each side of registers J J.The pulleys N N are attached to the registers J J. On pulleys M M arepins a a. On pulleys N N are pins 7' r. O 0 O O are chains, or theirequivalents, which run upon the pulleys M N M N, and thereby connectthem. P P are pawls resting upon or lying near to the ratchetwheels H E.Q is a graduated register standing alongside of the lever K. R is alever, which turns on shafts S S. On shafts S S are pinions o 0. T T areratchet-wheels, fixed to the shafts S S upon each side of the lever B.Upon the lever B are reversible dogs a n. At U, upon the lever B, ismovable cross-head V, each end of which is attached to the reversibledogs at n by means of chains, or their equivalents. W W are rollersextended from the head-blocks O O. X X are guards projecting from theinclined worms 1) D. Y Y are standards fixed to the racks m m, which runin the head-blocks O (J. Z is a rest for the support of the lever R andthe dogs a n.

The shafts L L and S S are to be constructed with key-seats, in orderthat the headblocks 0 0 may be placed nearer together or farther apart,as may be desired. The in clined worms D D are mounted upon pedestals,and may be shifted to correspond with the The lever K is fixed to theshafts L L by means of set-screws, in order that it may be set backwardand forward upon the shafts. thus taking up lost motion, if any therebe. The head-blocks O C are provided with numerical tables, which areused in connection with the graduated register Q. It will be seen thatthe amount of motion given to the register J by lever K is indicated byregister Q.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows: The carriage B, being inposition upon the rear end of the track A, and the reversible dogs a nbeing elevated upon the rest Z, with the free ends toward the operator,the dogs are reversed, by an upward and downward motion of the movablecross-head V, and the lever R drawn toward the operator until the dogs aa fall off of the rest Z and into the ratchet-wheels T T. The operatorthen presses from him upon the lever B, when a backward motion is givento the standards Y Y by means of racks m m and pinions 0 0, which iscontinued until the standards have been run back as far as may bedesired, when the timber is secured upon the head-blocks and against thestandards in the usual manner. The lever K is then drawn toward theoperator until it reaches any desired notch in the register Q, accordingto the thickness of lumber desired. The motion given to the lever K isimparted to the registers J J, and in an opposite direction, by means ofthe chains 0 O, or their equivalents. The chains are prevented fromslipping by means of iron pins passed through the chains and into thepulleys M M and N N. Power is then applied to the carriage B, and aforward motion given it. The rollers E E, coming in contact with theinclined worms D D, will follow them and rise upon them to their ends,when the rollers fall off and down until the arm-levers F F rest uponthe pins r r in pulleys N N. As the rollers E E rise upon the inclinedworms D D a forward motion is given to the upper ends of the armlevers FF, which causes the pawls G G to follow the registers J J to their ends,when the pawls fall into the ratchet-wheels H H and move them forward,while the rollers E E continue to rise upon the inclined worms. Themotion given to the ratchet-wheels H H is imparted to the standards Y Yby means of the pinions '0 0; running in the racks m m. As theratchet-wheels H H move forward the pawls P P rest upon them withoutinterfering with the forward motion, but providing against any backwardmotion by falling into the notches in the wheels. When the timber hasbeen carried past the saw the carriage is to be returned to its originalposition. It will be seen that on their :etnrn the rollers E E cross theinclined worms D D by means of the knuckle-joints a .r, at the points atwhich they come in contact with the inclined worms when the carriage wasmoving toward the saw.

If the operator desires to put the apparatus out of gear, he will pressupon the lever K in the direction of the inclined worms, until the leverrests in the extremity of the register Q. It will be seen that theregisters J J have been carried forward until the pawls G G cannot reachthe ratchet-wheels H H, and that the pawls P P have been withdrawn fromthe ratchet-wheels H H by means of pins u u.

If the carriage should pass over any small obstruction while movingtoward the saw, any failure or irregularity in setting is providedagainst by the rollers W W coming in contact with the guards X X, andcarrying the incliued worms D D up with the carriage.

In cutting tapered lumber, one standard is drawn forward, after theself-set has acted, by means of lever B, one reversible dog having beenraised out of its ratchet-wheel by elevatin g the end of the movablecross-head to which it is attached.

It is obvious that the apparatus hereiubefore described may be adaptedto the lightest character of veneer-sawing, as well as that of theheavier and heaviest lumber, and that it may also be adapted to amuley-saw carriage as well as to a circular-saw.

What I claim as of my invention, and 'desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

l. The combination of lever K, shaft L, register Q, pulley M, pulley N,chain 0, and register J, substantially as described, and for thepurposes set forth.

2. The combination of lever K, with shaft L, pulley M, pulley N, chain0, pin 1', and angular arm lever F, substantially as described, and forthe purposes set forth.

3. The combination of lever K, with shaft L, pin a, and pawl P,substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination of lever K, with shaft L, pin a, pawl P, andratchet-wheel H, substantially as described, and for the purposes setforth.

5. The combination of inclined worm D, with roller E, arm-lever F, pawlG, register J, ratchet-wheel H, shaft I, pinion 'v, and standard-rack m,substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of pin 1, and its operative devices, with arm-leverF, knuckle-joint w, and roller E, and inclined worm D, substantially asdescribed, and for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination of inclined worm D, with rock-shaft z, roller W,guard X, roller E, arm-lever F, pawl G, and ratchet-wheel H,substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

ROBERT M. BIGGER. Witnesses SAML. H. WALLIS, F. M. EVERETT.

